The invention relates generally to an engine cooling system and, more particularly, to a system and method for heating a viscous fuel supplied to a diesel engine.
Diesel engines are used in a wide variety of applications such as tractors, trucks, generators, passenger vehicles, ships, fuel oil furnaces, or the like. Conventionally in certain applications, bio-diesel has been used as a clean burning alternative fuel produced from a domestic renewable resource. Bio-diesel has similar chemical properties compared to petroleum diesel fuel and may be used in a diesel engine either directly or blended with petroleum diesel fuel in a specific ratio. Bio-diesel fuel has a relatively higher carbon efficiency, i.e., ratio of energy generated to carbon produced by combustion. Additionally, bio-diesel emissions are virtually free of sulfur, aromatics, and particulates. In certain other applications, marine diesel oil is also used as an alternative fuel for diesel engines.
Fuels such as marine diesel oil, and bio-diesel have higher viscosity than petroleum diesel fuel and need to be heated to relatively higher temperatures so as to reduce viscosity and enable proper injection into the diesel cylinder. A separate electrical heater is provided in a cavity that is coupled to a fuel inlet of the engine. The heater is provided to heat the fuel in the cavity. The use of a separate heater consumes more power and hence increases the specific fuel consumption (SFC) of the diesel engine.
An improved system and method for heating a viscous fuel supplied to a diesel engine for simultaneously reducing the viscosity of fuels and also reduce specific fuel consumption of diesel engine using the viscous fuel, is desirable.